Day Three
I ventured to Toto looking for a little fun nostalgia. Worst case scenario, I’d get a kick out of hearing “Africa.” What I didn’t expect was to be genuinely blown away by the group’s musical prowess. Toto sounded fantastic during their main stage set, the classic rockers delivering such hits as “Hold the Line” and “Rosanna.” Just as impressive, the cross-generational appeal that was on full display. Millennial? Baby Boomer? Gen-xer? It didn’t matter what group you belonged to. All age disparity was cast aside during this concert turned sing-along. Frontman Steve Lukather asked the crowd if they were ready for “that song” before closing their performance with the ubiquitous “Africa.” Funny thing is, this set proved to many that Toto has way more in their arsenal than that single track.
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Hot Chip many times over the years. The English electronic outfit often delivers gloriously weird performances, complete with synchronized dance moves and impressive light displays. What I hadn’t ever seen them do is rock out, but that’s exactly what happened at Life Is Beautiful. After bouncing through their own classic tunes, including “One Life Stand” and “Ready for the Floor,” the group launched into an emphatic rendition of the Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage.” It revealed a surprisingly aggressive side of Hot Chip, one the crowd happily embraced as fans headbanged along.
Vampire Weekend have carved themselves an impressive career as both a commercially successful and artistically creative act. The broad appeal of their distinctive brand of indie-rock was on display on Day Three, as fans from every walk of life could be seen bouncing along to the beats. The band’s early hits, such as “A-Punk” and “Oxford Comma,” have aged extremely well over the past decade. Meanwhile, new songs “This Life” and “Harmony Hall” have added instrument and vocal arrangements that come to life in the concert setting. The entire set had a buoyant, optimistic feeling—which probably explains why I was smiling the whole time.
Vampire Weekend
As night took over Life Is Beautiful’s third day, pulsating rhythms emanated from the Huntridge stage. They belonged to Phantogram, the alt-electronic duo made up of singer Sarah Barthel and multi-instrumentalist Josh Carter. With a couple of touring musicians adding extra percussive layers to their tracks, the band put its crowd into a bass-heavy hypnosis. Bodies were moving, fans were screaming and plenty of dance moves were on display. The biggest cheers were reserved for the group’s 2013 hit “Fall in Love” and 2016’s “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore.” During the band’s last song, Barthel crawled out onto the audience, crowd surfing on her back as she belted out the final notes. The performance was one big party and Phantogram were excellent hosts.
I don’t understand the appeal of Post Malone. The Sunday night headliner had one of the biggest crowds of the weekend, but his performance left me uninspired. Pyrotechnics and an impressive light display aren’t suitable replacements for a quality backing band. Sure, he had a lot of energy, but watching Malone deliver his croons over pre-recorded tracks felt exceedingly fabricated. The guy is one of the biggest stars on the planet right now, and almost every other person I talked to said he was “fire.” Instead, I just felt burnt out.
Other Day 3 Notes: Gallant’s soulful falsetto was a wonderful change of pace at the largely rock and electronic fest. The singer gave an earnest performance of his R&B tunes, cementing his place as one of the genres quickly rising stars. Oliver Tree is a living meme. Donning a bowl-cut hairdo and windbreaker outfit, the part-alternative singer, part-performance artist tore through an electrifying set of songs. Scooters and a wheelchair were just some of his many props. Those in on the joke couldn’t get enough, while those turned off by his shenanigans quickly moved on.
Life Is Beautiful has helped to revitalize Downtown Las Vegas, and in return, the area seems to have really embraced the event. Even outside the festival grounds, restaurants, bars and hotels all happily welcomed music lovers with open arms. It’s wonderful to see a community and event so in sync, especially considering how many other fests battle with their neighbors. Overall, a wonderful weekend, one I hope to be a part of again in 2020!
